Curtain operating mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet l fnusrztorw- W. J. STUBER Filed April 19, 1932 CURTAIN OPERATING MECHANISM Sept. 26, 1933.

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Sept. 26, 1933. w J, STUBER CURTAIN OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1952 wazzeraszw e.

Patented Sept. 26, 1933 1,928,548 CURTAIN. OPERATING MECHANISM Walter J. Stuber, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to Carey-McFall Company, :Philadelphia, Pa., a' corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 19, 1932,. Serial Naetamsh' 14 Claims. (01. 15e 2s) This invention relates to operating means for curtains and has for its primary object to provide means whereby the driver of a motor drivenvehicle'may readily operate a rear curtain without interference with the driving of the car.

Another object of the'invention is to provide means of the character setforth having novel means whereby the curtain may be readily and conveniently adjusted into closed position and,

particular mechanisms for. adjusting the curtain into position and effecting the ready release to allow the curtain to return-to its normal open position.

These features and details-of constructionare set forth hereinafterand shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewshowing the device constituting the invention and its relationwith'respect to a vehicle; v

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the rear curtain roller mechanism and'the supports therefor; Fig.3 isa view online 33, Fig. 2;

5 Fig. 4 is a view in section'on line 44, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a'view in section on line 5-5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view in section on line 6-6, Fig. 7;

and Fig. is a viewin section on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

Referring now morep'articularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a curtain of conventional type associated with a spring actuatedkroller 2 which v operates to maintain the said curtain. 1 wound therearound and in" open position with respect to the rear window 3 of the automobile or similar vehicle body. z

The spring roller 2 is supported adjacent the rear window 3 of the vehicle. by the brackets 4 and 5 respectively and arranged for rotation with respect thereto. The previously mentioned bracket '4 comprises a stationary casing 6 having a rivet or pin 7 secured thereinand extending outwardly therefrom. A drum 8 is rotatably mountedon the pin or rivet 7 internallyof casing 6. The curtain roller 2; is connected'to the The invention contemplates certain other novel j features anddetails of theconstruction of the drum 8 through the end cap 9 of the roller which embraces the rivet '7 and is provided with the projecting tongues: 90. arranged toengage the slots 8a formed in the adjacent face of the drum 8. 1

The casing 6-is provided with an opening 61; in the circumferential surface thereof to permit j entrance internally of said casing of a cord or other pull means 10, the said cord being wound about the drum 8 and having the adjacent end thereof connected to saiddrum, in such a, manner that a pull on the cord. 10 rotates the drum 8 and the curtain roller 2 to unwind the curtain therefrom. The cord 10 iscontinued through a forwardly directed conduit or tubular member 11, preferably positioned in the roof ortop structure of the car body, the said conduit 11 having its forward end terminating at a point above the back or front of the drivers seat.

. The'cord 10 extends downwardly from said for: ward or front end of the conduit 11 outwardly through an aperture 12" in a fixed plate 12 and is attached to a drum 13 rotatably mounted on the spindle 1e projecting centrally from said plate 12. The outer end portion of the spindle 8 14 is of enlarged square or rectangular cross section 15 asshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The drum 13 isprovided with a radially disposed flange 16 on which apawl 17 is pivotally mounted, the said pawl 17 .acting against the force of a spring 18 against a fixed stop 19. vA ratchet element 20 1s mounted upon the enlarged portion 15 of the spindle 14 and arranged for sliding movement thereon. A pyramidical coil spring 21 embraces the portion 15' of the spindle 14 andresides in the annular recess 22 formed in the outer faceof the drum 13 intermediate the said drum and the ratchet. A cap 23 slidably embraces the extremity of: the spindle liand has itsinner edge in abutting relation with the outer face of the ratchet 20, the said'cap 23- being further provided with a shoulder Zeal-ranged to abut the inner edge of an annular opening25 in a casing-26 through which the outer end of the cap 23 projects. The casing 26 issecured to-theperiphery or" the drum flange 16 by means of screws 2'7 ina manner efiecting rotation of the drum 13 when the said casing 26 is rotated.

The shoulder 24: on the cap 23 functions as an abutment limiting the outward movement thereof and when the cap is in thisoutermost position and the shoulder 24 abuts theinner edge ofthe aperture 25 formedin the casing 26, the teeth of the ratchet 20 will be in engagement with the pawl 1'7 and be maintainedin that position .by

the force of the coil spring 21. The ratchet 20 and pawl 17 may be respectively disengaged by depressing the cap 23 inwardly on the spindle 14 against the action of the spring 21 and out of the path of the pawl 17.

In the operation of the curtain mechanism set forth rotation of the casing 26 and drum 13 in a direction to wind the cord 10 about the drum 13, results in the unwinding of the other end of the cord 10 from the drum 8, the said drum rotating and in turn rotating the roller 2 in a direction to unwind the curtain 1 therefrom. The pawl 17 and the drum l3 rotate about the teeth of the ratchet 20, the said pawl 17 successively engaging the circumferentially disposed teeth of the ratchet 20 permitting rotation in a forward direction only and preventing the rewinding of the curtain 1 upon the roller 2." By the novel pawl and ratchet arrangement set forth above, the curtain 1 may be entirely or partially unwound from the roller 2 and effectively maintained in that position. This particular feature of the invention permits the operator of the vehicle to effect a complete orpartial closure of the rear window a 3 of the vehicle, as may be desired, the pawl 17 curtain roller 2, to rewind the'curtain upon said roller, the pull cord 1 10 being simultaneously wound about the drum 8 and unwound from the drum 13. When the curtain 1 is entirely rewound upon the roller 2, the cap 23 may be released and the spring 21 will move the ratchet 20 outwardly on the spindle 14 placing the teeth thereof into engagement with the pawl l'l-ready for any subsequent entire, or partial closure of the rear window 3 by the curtain 1.

From the foregoing description it is believed to be obvious that anoperating means for vehicle curtains constructed'in accordance therewith, is particularly well adapted for use in the manner intended by reason of the convenience of its operation, and it will also be obvious that the invention herein set forth may be susceptible to some change without departing from the spirit thereof except as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a spring roller, a curtain I normally maintained in a wound state on said roller by rotation of the roller in one direction through the medium of the roller spring, a circumferentially grooved drum at and operatively attached to one end of the roller beyond a side edge of the curtain, a pull cord wound on the drum within the groove thereof with one end of the cord secured to the drum, a casing closely surrounding the periphery of the drum to maintain the wound portion of the cord within said groove, and a control element remotely situated with respect to the casing and to which the opposite end of said cord is secured.

2. The combination with a spring roller having one end of a curtain and one end of a pull cord secured to and normally wound on the roller by rotation thereof inone direction through the medium of the roller spring, of a remote control for said curtain comprising a rotatable drum to which the opposite end of the pull cord is secured for unwinding the first said end of the cord and the curtain from said roller in opposition to said spring, and means for maintaining the drum in any one of a plurality of positions to which it may be rotated, for maintaining the curtain in a corresponding unwound state relative to the roller.

3. The combination with a spring roller mounted'curtain, of a drum mounted for rotation and connected directly to said roller, 2. remote control element, a pull cord having one end attached to said drum and the other end to said remote control element, the rotation of said element acting through the pull cord to rotate the drum and roller and unwind the curtain therefrom, means preventing rotation of the remote control element in one direction, and means releasing said preventing means to permit free rotation of the remote control element in the opposite direction.

4. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain, of a pin extending into one end of said roller, a drum rotatably mounted on said pin and having slots in the face thereof adjacent said end of the roller, a closure for said end of said roller, and tongues projecting outwardly from said closure and engaging the slots in the drum to efiect direct connection intermediate said roller and said drum.

5. The combination with a spring roller mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having one end of a curtain and one end of a pull cord secured to and normally wound on the roller by rotation thereof in one direction through the medium of the roller spring with the opposite end of the curtain free to drop by gravity, of a remote control for said curtain comprising a rotatable drum to'which the opposite end of the pull cord is secured for unwinding the first said end of the cord and the curtain from said roller in opposition to said spring, and means for maintaining thedrum in any one of a plurality of positions to which it may be rotated, for maintaining the curtain in a corresponding unwound state relative to the roller.

6. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain of a pin projecting into one end of said roller, a drum rotatably mounted on said pin and having slots in the face thereof adjacent said end of the roller, a closure for the said end of the roller, tongues projecting outwardly from said closure and engaging the slotsin the drum and effecting direct connection between said roller and said drum, a remote control element, and a pull cord having one end attached to said drum and the other end to said remote control element, the rotation of said remote control element acting through the pull cord to rotate the drum and roller and unwind the curtain therefrom.

7. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain of a pin projecting into one end of said roller, 2. drumrotatably mounted on said pin andhaving slots in the face thereof, adjacent the said end of said roller, a closure for=the said end of the roller, tongues projecting outwardly from said closure and engaging the slots in the drum effecting direct connection intermediate said roller and said drum, a remote control element, a pull cord having one end attached to said drum and the other end to said remote control element, the rotation of said remote control element acting through the pull cord to rotate the drum and roller and .unwind the curtain therefrom, and means preventing rotation of the remote control unit in one direction.

8. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain having a pull cord attached thereto,

means to receive said pull cord, means normally preventing rotation of the first named means in one direction, and means controllable at will, releasing said preventing means to permit rotation of said means in the opposite direction.

9. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain having a pull cord attached thereto, of a remote control element comprising a rotatable drum having the pull cord attached thereto, means normally preventing rotation of the drum in one direction and maintaining the drum in the positionto which it is rotated, and means controllable at will releasing said preventing means to permit rotation of the drum in the opposite direction. I a 10. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain having a pull cord attached thereto, of a remote control element comprising a spindle, a drum rotatably mounted on said spindle to receive said pull cord, a pawl mounted on the drum, a ratchet slidable on said spindle and cooperating with said pawl to prevent rotation of the drum in one direction, and means effecting disengagement of the ratchet and pawl to permit free rotation of the drum on the spindle. I

11. The combination with a spring roller mounted curtain, having a pull cord attached thereto, of a remote control element comprising a spindle, a drum rotatably mounted on said spindle, a pawl'mounted on said drum, a ratchet Y slidable on the spindle for engagement by said pawl, preventing rotation of the drum in one direction, a casing having an aperture therein rotatably mounted with respect to said ratchet and connected to said drum, and a spring embracing the spindle normally maintaining the ratchet.

" in position for engagement by the pawl. i

spindleto receive said pull cord, a pawl mounted on the drum, aratchet slidable on said spindle and cooperating with said pawl to prevent rotation of the drum in one direction, and maintain the drum in the position to which it is rotated, and means effecting disengagement of the ratchet and the pawl to permit free rotation of the drum on the spindle.

13. The combination with a spring roller -mounted curtain, having a pull cord attached thereto, of a remote control element comprising a spindle, a drum rotatably mountedon said spindle, a pawl mounted on said drum, a ratchet slidable on the spindle for engagement by said pawl preventing rotation of the drum in one'direction, a casing having an aperture therein rospindle, a drumrotatably mounted on said spindie, a pawl mounted on said drum, a ratchet slidable on the spindle for engagement by said pawl preventing rotation of the drum in one direction, and maintain the drum in the position to which it is rotated, a casing having an aperture therein rotatably mounted with respect to said ratchet and connected to said drum, a spring embracing the spindle normally maintaining the ratchet in position for engagement by thepawLanda cap depressible against said spring and abutting said ratchet for disengaging the ratchet and the pawl to permit free rotation of the drum about said spindle.

1 WALTER J. STUBER. 

